"Ralph Felder has created a meaningful read for those interested in all aspects of magic ..." - Randall Eller
"Ralph has created a great system for beginners and semi-professional magicians to evaluate their performances and improve on their craft. This book truly shines for those looking to make the transition into magic with the goal of becoming a professional ..." - Maxwell Blade
Author Ralph Felder, a Certified Quality Engineer, utilizes a scientific approach to magic which facilitates:
- Application of creative and critical thinking concepts which can help you invent magic and assemble routines into successful magic acts.
- Evaluation and adjustment of your show's content to identify and correct issues before your next engagement.
- Use of the Quality Control concept Outcome-Based Evaluation which employs custom spread sheets to house and manipulate the information necessary to maximize your personal satisfaction and audience enjoyment of each performance.
Twenty fully-scripted routines with eighty-four total effects (tricks) written by the author are used to teach the various concepts.
Contents
- Foreword
- From the Author's Desk
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 - Focus on the Fundamentals
- Chapter 2 - Resources and Methods for Learning
- Chapter 3 - Creating a Quality Magic Act
- Chapter 4 - Creativity and Magic
- Curtain Call - Where Do We Go from Here?
- About the Author
- Lagniappe: Reflections
- Appendix A: The Twenty Example Magic Routines
- Appendix B: Magic in a Nut Shell
- References
"...While Mr. Felder ably offers the nuts and bolts about how to be a successful magician, this is really a book about life. As a seasoned speaker of many years, I especially profited from the discussion about relating to the audience ... The Outcome-based Evaluation approach concerns not just effective magic but serves as a guide for any successful endeavor." - Dr. Jon M. Stubblefield
2nd edition 2018, 220 pages, illustrated by Tony Dunn.
word count: 64873 which is equivalent to 259 standard pages of text